This govt school in Punjab’s Sultanpur Lodhi has only one room for 130 students

Only 31 students of Class-5 sit in the room and other students of Classes 1 to 4 sit in the verandah of the school on mats

punjabUpdated: May 31, 2017 15:13 IST

Jatinder Mahal

Hindustan Times, Kapurthala

A teacher taking a class at the government school in Sultanpur Lodhi on Tuesday.(HT Photo)

Contradicting the tall claims of the Congress government of taking stern steps to streamline school education in the state, over 130 students of a government primary school in Sultanpur Lodhi have to make do with just one room in the school.

The Government Elementary School (Rural), located 1.5 km from the city of Sultanpur Lodhi, reflects the sorry state affairs of the education system in the state.

The school has two rooms, but one room is housing the Anganwadi wing and only one room is left for 130 students of five classes.

However, only 31 students of Class-5 sit in the room and other students of Classes 1 to 4 sit in the verandah of the school. The room is also used to store the grains used for the mid-day meal. This reporter saw three bags of wheat atta and other material dumped in a corner of the room. The school has five teachers, including two on contract.

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There are no benches in the school and students are forced to sit on the mats even during the scorching heat.

The condition of the only washroom of the school, which is used by both school staff and students, is also pitiable.

A school teacher, on the request of anonymity, said, “Almost all students belong to weaker sections of society and parents of most of them are not even educated and are labourers. But they want that their children should get educated. So, they have no option but to send their children to this so-called school only. The strength of children in the school remains around 150 every year. But, the government is doing nothing to improve the infrastructure in the school,” a school teacher said on the condition of anonymity.

The students are also not comfortable when the mid-day meal is prepared. The smoke during the preparation of food disturbs the concentration of the students and it becomes difficult for them to sit in the verandah. The students are also served food in the verandah.

District education officer (primary) Massa Singh, who assumed charge last week, conducted a visit to the school on Tuesday.

The DEO said, “The condition of the school is not good. It has only one room for so many students. I have taken up the matter with the deputy commissioner to find out a solution to the problem soon,”

Kamlesh Rani, Akali sarpanch of the village, said, “We had only once received a grant of ₹9 lakh from the previous SAD-BJP government for the school. But, that was spent on some other work by the former sarpanch of the village. This government has not given even a single penny for the school so far”.